


Apple Pie a la Mode

by darkbrokenreaper



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Domestic, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Castiel/Dean Winchester, Domestic Dean Winchester, Domestic Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, Parents & Children
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-12
Updated: 2013-11-28
Packaged: 2017-12-19 05:56:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/880230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkbrokenreaper/pseuds/darkbrokenreaper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In between contemplating which brand of cereal to buy and clutching the collar of Gabriel’s shirt so he wouldn’t run off toward the candy aisle, Dean Winchester absently wondered how this had become his life. Or the one where Dean finds out his family includes four little archangels, an ex-vessel, and a prophet of God.</p><p>Chapter 7: It took Adam with his authoritative “I-am-a-doctor-in-training-so-my-medical-advice-is-sound” voice to stop Dean from cocooning Castiel in a mountain of blankets, cold remedies, and tomato rice soup.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

In between contemplating which brand of cereal to buy and clutching the collar of Gabriel’s shirt so he wouldn’t run off toward the candy aisle, Dean Winchester absently wondered how this had become his life.  
  
In his peripheral he spied Castiel wrestling with Lucifer who glared up at Michael sitting on Castiel’s shoulders. Raphael was sitting quietly in the shopping cart, well-behaved as always, and staring at her brothers with a vague sort of amusement.  
  
“Did you get the eggs?” Dean asked, hefting a protesting Gabriel into his arms to stop the brat from struggling away. Michael, perched on Castiel’s shoulders, presented the eggs to Dean with a shy tilt of his head. Dean reached for them, stretching his hand over Castiel’s head and deposited the eggs in the cart.  
  
“Want candy!” Gabriel demanded, jerking Dean’s shirt and pointing insistently toward the direction of the candy aisle.  
  
“No candy,” Dean said sternly. “Uncle Sammy said no sweets for you before dinner. It’ll ruin your appetite. And have you seen yourself on a sugar high? Trust me kiddo, you do not need more.”  
  
“We still require ground lean meat,” Castiel read off of the list presented to him by Lucifer. Except the little boy had all but shoved it into the angel’s face and his reply was muffled by the paper but Dean got the gist of it.  
  
“Right.” Dean pushed the cart toward the butchers stand.   
  
Castiel followed him, a remarkable feat considering that Lucifer still had the list in Castiel’s face.   
  
Around them, women cooed over how cute the children were (and yeah, they were damn adorable but then again, they were archangels in a former life) and gossiped about the two handsome men who obviously were a couple. Dean rolled his eyes and snuck a peek at Castiel who was trying to restrain Lucifer from climbing his shoulders to get to Michael.  
  
Once more, Dean could not believe that this was his life.  
  
\--  
  
“We’re home!” Dean hollered at the same time Gabriel shouted ‘Sammy!’ and scrambled after his brother. Lucifer followed close behind with a look of determination.  
  
“Where are Adam and Kevin?” Castiel inquired, setting down Michael who immediately helped carry a grocery bag. Castiel smiled at him appreciatively.  
  
“Adam’s in class and Kevin’s in his room,” Sam answered absently, as Lucifer and Gabriel tussled for the coveted seat on Sam’s lap.  
  
“Any luck on that death in Altonville, Ohio?” Dean asked conversationally, sorting through the groceries for stuff that needed to be frozen and put away first. Raphael helped him, handing him a bag of frozen peas and then a box of the ice cream Adam had a preference for.  
  
“Nothing yet,” Sam murmured, setting his chin on Gabriel’s head and scanning the book in front of him. Lucifer settled on Sam’s other leg and clutched his plaid shirt.  
  
“Well, let me know if you find anything,” Dean replied, heading off toward the kitchen with Castiel once the food was sorted.  
  
At once, four little kids tumbled after him like ducklings. Grocery day was always their favorite day because it was the day when they could ask for any dessert they wanted and Dean would make it. Even Lucifer who was attached at the hip to Sam, enjoyed grocery day and followed his siblings into the kitchen with Dean and Castiel.  
  
“So what do you twerps want to eat?” Dean asked, tying on an apron that had the slogan “Kiss the Cook”. Sam had snickered when Castiel had presented it to him with a straight face and told him that he had seen all the cooks on television wear one so Dean should have one too. In retaliation, Dean had lobbed a raw egg at Sam’s head and muttered a thanks to Castiel before snatching the apron and putting it on.  
  
“Apple pie!” Lucifer shouted before any of his brothers and sister could object.  
  
“Apple pie an’ ice cream!” Gabriel agreed enthusiastically.  
  
“Michael, Raphael?” Castiel asked gently. “Is that what you would like too?”  
  
Both kids snapped to attention at their names.  
  
“With extra cinnamon?” Raphael asked hesitantly with a tiny smile.  
  
“Whatever you want, baby girl,” Dean melted. He was a sucker for his little girl and Castiel secretly knew she was Dean’s favorite though the hunter loved them all.  
  
“Would you like anything with your apple pie, Michael?” Castiel asked gently. Michael shrunk back from the attention and tentatively shook his head. Castiel resisted the urge to sigh; Michael was the most timid of his siblings and they were trying to train him into voicing his own opinions.  
  
“Apple pie a la mode, it is,” Dean said, pulling out the flour and cinnamon from the cupboard. “Wanna start cutting apples for me, Cas?”  
  
Castiel picked up a knife as the children searched through the grocery bags for the apples. One by one, they came up to Castiel and offered him an apple to peel and core which he accepted with a murmur of thanks. After they finished with their task, the four children ambled out to their play area.  
  
“I’m thinking we cook us some steaks and potatoes and have us an all-American dinner,” Dean mused out loud, “How does that sound, Cas?”  
  
“Sounds delicious,” Castiel agreed with a fond smile that did not cause Dean’s heart to skip a beat, “But also add salad to the menu or your brother will pitch a fit.”  
  
“Sammy can’t deal without his rabbit food,” Dean nodded along as he pulled out a packet of steaks from the freezer to defrost.  
  
“Would you like me to start on the cinnamon filling, Dean?” Castiel asked, pulling out a pot.  
  
“Sure,” Dean smiled.  
  
As they cooked, they fell into a natural rhythm, weaving around each other as if they had done this all their lives. Dean didn’t look up when Castiel passed him the pepper grinder and Castiel didn’t even have to voice it out before Dean was handing him the required knife for the carrots. It was comfortable, domestic even, and Dean would not have it any other way. In the kitchen, making dinner for the family they had built for themselves through the apocalypse, they were one.  
  
“Kids!” Dean shouted. “Dinner!”  
  
Sam came in with Gabriel and Lucifer under each arm. They laughed as Sam took exaggerated steps, swinging them around like sacks of flour. Raphael trotted in after Kevin, who had his nose buried in a tome.  
  
“No reading at the table,” Dean frowned, plucking the book from his hands. Kevin frowned but there was humor in his eyes as Castiel handed him a plate of steak and potatoes.  
  
“Where’s Michael?” Dean asked, scooping out mashed potatoes into the little plastic bowls designed for little grabby hands.  
  
“He is currently holding vigilance at the front door,” Castiel informed him.  
  
“Not again,” Dean sighed. Castiel plucked the ladle from his hands as Dean headed off toward the front door.  
  
The little boy was sitting on a chair that had been moved right in front of the door. His tiny face was set in an expression of patience.  
  
“Hey buddy,” Dean said quietly, watching the small boy stare at the door. “It’s dinner time. Aren’t you hungry?”  
  
“Adam,” Michael simply said as if it explained the entire situation which it kind of did.  
  
“I know kid,” Dean nodded. “He’s just gonna be a few minutes late so you can wait for him at the table with the rest of your siblings.”  
  
“No,” Michael said stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest and dipping his head impetuously. “I wait for Adam.”  
  
Dean rolled his eyes. Archangels and their vessels. Lucifer also had an unhealthy obsession with Sam. As well as Gabriel but the kid was weird anyway.  
  
“I’ll wait with you then,” Dean said, pulling another chair up and sitting next to Michael.  
  
The moment was awkward for Dean. Michael ignored him in favor of watching the door with the same intensity that Castiel watched him and it was getting really creepy for Dean.  
  
“Why do you wait for Adam?” Dean asked more to dispel the tension than anything.  
  
“Because Adam is precious,” Michael said definitively, his eyes set. “Adam is protected.”  
  
Dean furrowed his eyebrows. “Did you protect him?”  
  
Michael nodded. “In the place where it was cold and lonely.”  
  
Dean pursed his lips in thought. They had questioned the kids before but they only seemed to possess broad strokes of their lives as archangels. They talked about them like one would talk about the weather, in a detached sort of way.  
  
The door knob suddenly rattled causing Michael and Dean to pause their question and answer session.  
  
“Adam!” the boy brightened considerably, head turning to the door.  
  
“Hey, Mikey,” Adam greeted affectionately and picked up the child who snuggled in his arms with a contented sigh. “I’m back. Classes were a killer.”  
  
“You’re just in time,” Dean grinned, ruffling Adam’s hair affectionately as he passed by. “Dinner just started.”  
  
As Dean walked back to the dining room and listened to Adam tell Michael about his day, he smiled a very secret smile in his heart. This was a family built from the ashes of ruination and pain but it held much joy and Dean would not change it for the world.


	2. The Difference between Bedrooms and Nests

It started out as just Castiel and his nightmares about his fall from grace, about Metatron, about his brief stint as a false god, about all his past betrayals really. Dean could understand that. He understood that Castiel possessed enough guilt to swallow him whole and everyday was another day Castiel would try to prove himself loyal to Dean which Dean didn’t want or need from him.  
  
Castiel had existed since the beginning of time or at least something close. He had lived with the voices of all his brothers constantly whispering in his head, comforting him in his times of doubt. He was never alone but now everything was quiet and Castiel craved closeness, togetherness.  
  
Since becoming human, there was a constant fear in Castiel’s eyes as if Dean would disappear if he even took his eyes off of him for a second. Dean had always thought that the intense eye stare was an angel thing and as a human, Castiel would tone it down a little but instead, it increased tenfold.  
  
Dean lifted up the corner of his blankets to invite him in and didn’t say a word when fingers clutched the back of his shirt. He didn’t even flinch when Castiel shifted close to him and settled his forehead against the back of Dean’s neck, little puffs of breath ghosting against his shoulder blades. And he would be lying if he said that it annoyed him. It was quite the opposite; he never had nightmares and slept through the entire night whenever Castiel snuck into his bed which was now happening at an alarming frequency. So Dean’s bedroom progressively became Dean and Castiel’s bedroom. And so Dean became used to another warm body in his bed, craved it even, but not just a warm body; he craved Castiel. For Dean, one of the highlights of his day was waking up to Castiel’s bed hair and sleepy mumblings. If Sam, Kevin, or Adam noticed, they made no comment on it and Dean was not going to bring it up.  
  
There was something between them though, something Dean did not want to put a name on. Occasionally, they would sleep face to face and Castiel would weave his fingers with Dean’s and just sleep like that, their hands clasped between them. Sometimes Dean would wake up with Castiel cradled in his arms, his head tucked under Dean’s chin and his breath ghosting along his collarbone. It was intimate but also comforting and gradually, he could feel a little bit more of Castiel’s guilt fading.  
  
And then it got cramped. It began with Gabriel; it always did. The little boy stood in their doorway and was sniffling, cheeks pinked with tears as he rubbed his face raw. In one hand, he clutched his pillow tightly to his chest which was heaving with sobs.  
  
Dean sat up, squinting at the tiny figure silhouetted by the lights in the hallway.  
  
“Hey, kiddo,” Dean murmured, climbing out of bed and out of Castiel’s hold. Castiel made a noise of protest but after seeing the source of the disturbance, sat up and rubbed his eyes. “What are you doing up so late?”  
  
“Had a bad dream,” Gabriel mumbled as Dean picked him up and patted his back in an attempt to soothe him. “Sammy’s not here.”  
  
“He’s visiting Garth, remember?” Dean reminded him gently. Gabriel nodded and buried his face into Dean’s shoulder.  
  
“Can I sleep here?” Gabriel asked quietly. “Please?”  
  
Dean glanced at Castiel who stared back with sleep blurred eyes and then patted the space next to him.  
  
“Sure, Gabe,” Dean assented, settling the boy down between himself and Castiel. “But just for tonight, okay?”  
  
“M’kay,” Gabriel promised, eyes already closing. Castiel’s arm automatically circled around his little brother, clasping him close.  
  
When Dean woke up again, it was barely an hour since Gabriel had crawled in. He groaned when he pinpointed the source of what startled him awake. A small body was climbing under the covers, slowly making its way up, and then a tiny head popped beside Gabriel’s. Bright grey eyes stared at him and Lucifer stuck out his bottom lip.  
  
“I miss Sam,” he said piteously. There was a question in his eyes.  
  
“You and me both, kid,” Dean muttered. “I take it you wanna sleep here too?”  
  
Lucifer nodded and Dean sighed, shuffling over to make space for Lucifer.  
  
“Just for tonight, alright?” Dean made Lucifer promise. The child nodded, cuddling up next to Gabriel who rolled over to face him and drifted off to sleep.  
  
When Dean woke up for the third time in the same night, he had had enough. Adam stared sheepishly at the growing pile of kids on Dean’s bed. They huddled around Castiel who looked so adorably disoriented with sleepy blue eyes.  
  
“He wanted to sleep with his brothers,” Adam started as Raphael and Kevin ran into the room.  
  
“We heard all the noise and wanted to see what was going on,” Kevin explained as he watched the children roll around the bed and burrow under the covers.  
  
“Seriously, what is the point of having the equivalent of the Wayne Manor underground when everyone just sleeps in the same room?” Dean groused irritably.  
  
Dean rubbed a hand over his face and into his hair. He was damned exhausted and pissed. He just wanted sleep and he knew the children needed to as well as everyone else. Adam had classes in the morning and Kevin had spent the entire day reorganizing the bunker’s collection of artifacts.  
  
“My bed ain’t big enough to fit all of us,” Dean pointed out grudgingly. Kevin and Adam smiled as the children cheered.  
  
With a little effort, they managed to drag in a few mattresses and the children excitedly piled them high with blankets and pillows from each of their rooms. The effect was very reminiscent of a nest but Dean was too tired to care. He flopped down beside Castiel who immediately pulled him close, burrowing his face into the junction of Dean’s neck and shoulder with a contented sigh.  
  
Adam took up his other side, cradling Michael in his arms while Gabe and Lucifer curled into each other next to Castiel’s legs. Kevin made a place for himself by Adam’s head and Raphael settled close to his hip with a little sigh. Piled together like puppies after an arduous day of play, they finally fell blissfully asleep.  
  
\--  
  
When Sam returned to the bunker, he was dead tired and wanted nothing more to sleep for a few hours or ten and then eat some of Dean’s homemade food. But when he turned on the lights to his room he noticed his bed was lacking a mattress. Confused, he went to Dean’s room.  
  
Dean’s normally orderly room was a mess of blankets and pillows and bodies spread all over the floor. His brother and Castiel were wedged in the middle and a bleary green eye stared up at him from the pile.  
  
“Not a single word,” Dean ordered with a very ineffective glare.  
  
“What happened here?” Sam asked, amusement taking over confusion.  
  
“What did I just say?” Dean hissed warningly and then yawned rather loudly. “You know what? It is too damn early for this shit. Park your ass down and go to sleep, Sammy.”  
  
And with that, Dean turned to face Castiel and fell back asleep. Sam sighed. He was too sleepy to complain and there was a Sam-sized space between Kevin and Raphael. And really, there was nothing else to say so he peeled off his dusty jacket and laid down on one of the many pillows covering the bed nest. His very last thought was a warm feeling in his chest. It was a heavy feeling but one that made him feel comforted and together with everyone, like a real family should be. But then again, that feeling might’ve just been Kevin rolling onto his rib cage in his sleep.


	3. Kevin Finds His Calling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kevin wondered briefly if he should get Castiel; the ex-angel was much better at dealing with Dean in his man pain mode.

When Kevin was finally situated in the bunker he found himself at a loss. His girlfriend was dead, his mother was dead and the only thing he could really consider a family were two hunters/consultants, an ex-vessel, a Fallen angel, and four little depowered archangels. He briefly considered college like Adam; he had been on the verge of finishing applications before he was struck by lightning and made into a prophet of God.  
  
But college seemed too mundane. He had decrypted both a demon and angel tablet, he had made bombs that killed demons and Leviathans alike, and he had gone toe to toe with the King of Hell himself. Nothing he would learn in college would help him with life as he knew it.  
  
He thought about becoming a hunter like Dean and Sam but he lacked the years of training and experience they had. He would be more of a liability than an asset.  
  
Then Dean and Sam had shown him the log for all the artifacts and various relics that the Men of Letters had stored in the bunkers over time and he let out a whimper of distress. As an AP student, he had planned his life down to the minute. Cello lessons, stats study time, college essays were all planned with meticulous detail. He could not and would not let this stand, and thus began his tenure as the official archivist of the Men of Letters.  
  
At first, it seemed overwhelming. Thousands of years’ worth of spells, scrolls, and countless items all sitting in the archives sorted with a card system that was older than dirt. Kevin was determined to drag the entire bunker to the 21st century kicking and screaming if he had to. If anyone was suited for the job, it was Kevin.  
  
So he spent his days creating an online catalogue of all the books and sorting through all of the ancient weapons and materials. Progress was slow. The logs were decades old and some of the writing was written in an archaic language which took some time to decipher. Some of the relics lying around also had ominous warning labels on them so Kevin left them alone until he could find a way to move them without killing himself. He had a contact in South Dakota who had a method of moving around dangerous artifacts without any harm. And his work paid off; whenever Sam and Dean needed to go reference something for a hunt and found it with his online system, a spark of happiness lit up inside him.  
  
So he buried himself in it and it was satisfying work. He never lacked company. The kids were always there to demand play time when they got bored of pranking Castiel and Castiel would help when he was not busy mooning over Dean or playing consultant with the hunter network. The ex-angel was a fountain of interesting stories and information on many of the items stored in the bunker so they swapped facts. Pop culture for information on the more obscure artifacts.  
  
“Time to eat, kid,” Dean announced and placed a plate in front of him. “I even made you that vegan burger stuff that you and Sammy like. Soy cheese and heirloom tomatoes from the farmer’s market.”  
  
Kevin’s eyebrows rose.  
  
“Wow, you’re actually feeding me,” remarked Kevin as he reached for the burger. It smelled positively delicious and he gave it a tentative bite. Juicy soy alternative meat burst on his tongue tempered with cool crisp lettuce and sour sweet tomatoes. The cheese melted on his tongue like butter. He hummed in appreciation and didn’t notice Dean’s satisfied smile.  
  
“What do you mean ‘actually’?” Dean scowled. “We fed you plenty when you were deciphering the demon tablet.”  
  
“No, you set me up with shitty frozen burritos and two bottles of pills,” Kevin reiterated sardonically as he munched on his burger. Dean was getting better at cooking vegan foods, he mused thoughtfully.  
  
He tapped in a few more entries and finished off his burger. Kevin was so engrossed in his work that he didn’t realize Dean was still in the room with him until a hand reached out and took the plate.  
  
“I’m sorry, kid,” Dean said.  
  
“No problem,” replied Kevin, distractedly. “I imagine college would’ve been the same; crappy food coupled with huge amounts of studying until my brain burst. Just you know, minus supernatural stuff.”  
  
Dean huffed out a laugh but it sounded harsh, forced. At the sound, Kevin looked up. The man pinched the bridge of his nose and his figure was hunched over a chair as if burdened by much agony. That face, which had seemed to battle hardened when they had met, was now lined with fatigue and weathered by trial. When he stared at Kevin, his eyes were pained.  
  
“That’s not what I meant,” Dean tried again but then stopped, staring off into space as if trying to gather his words.  
  
“That what were you apologizing for?” Kevin whispered, his stomach clenching uncomfortably. He was beginning to dislike where this conversation was going. He wondered briefly if he should get Castiel; the ex-angel was much better at dealing with Dean in his man pain mode.  
  
“For everything I guess,” Dean muttered. “For dragging you into this mess, for getting your girlfriend and your mom killed, for making you work so hard for so little in return.”  
  
And here Kevin laughed. It was a short bark of laughter filled with disbelief that made Dean flinch.  
  
“Dude, and now I realize why you and Castiel are so perfect for each other,” Kevin grinned as if realizing a funny joke after hearing it a dozen times. “Sam was so right about you guys.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Never mind,” Kevin said quickly. He leaned forward, lacing his hands together. “Dean, you don’t have to be sorry for all that. It wasn’t your fault I was chosen to be a prophet. Yeah, losing my mom and my girlfriend sucked. Big time. But that wasn’t your fault. That was all Crowley.”  
  
“But we dragged you into this hell house with us, made you a part of this,” Dean rubbed his face guiltily. “You were a scrawny little Asian kid for God’s sake and we got your family killed. And what do you have to show for it? A bunch of psycho hunters and their ex-vessel of a kid brother a-and a Fallen angel.” Dean let out a shuddering breath. “Absolute shit deal if you ask me.”  
  
“Dean, I chose this!” Kevin shouted, cutting Dean off from saying anymore. He heaved in a breath, trying to steady himself. “Dean, what are you really mad about?”  
  
“Who the hell would choose this kinda life?” he countered bitterly. “I don’t know why you aren't running for the hills yet.”  
  
“So you’re confused why I’m still here,” Kevin translated slowly. They stared at each other for a moment, never breaking their gaze from each other.  
  
And then Kevin did something only Castiel and Sam were allowed to do; he smacked Dean in the back of his head.  
  
“Ow!” Dean yelped, glaring at him. “What the fuck was that for?”  
  
“You’re an idiot,” Kevin deadpanned. “You really are a meathead, aren’t you?”  
  
“Hey!”  
  
“No, seriously,” Kevin said, staring at him right in the eyes. “I chose this life. I chose this family not because I don’t have anything else but because I love you guys. I like the bunker and all this archiving. I like fighting with Sam over the laundry and tackling Adam for the remote. I like eating the stuff you make and watching the kids play pranks on Castiel but most of all, I like you and Sam and Cas and Adam and the kids.”  
  
And during his diatribe, Dean sat there with eyes wide with surprise. The hunter took a deep breath, squaring his expression and then stared levelly at him.  
  
“Okay.”  
  
“Okay?” Kevin asked, eyebrow cocked.  
  
“Okay,” Dean repeated firmly. “Remember to come down for dinner.”  
  
“Thanks for the food,” said Kevin.  
  
“Don’t tell Sam about this,” Dean mumbled. “No chick flick moments.”  
  
“Not a word,” Kevin promised with a wry smile. He turned back to his computers as Dean eyed him critically.  
  
“You’re gonna tell him, aren’t you?”  
  
“Hell yeah.”  
  
Dean rolled his eyes and threw up his hands. “Conspirers all of you. I did not raise my brothers to turn against me.”  
  
Kevin wheeled back around with surprise as Dean picked up the plate and headed out with a pat on Kevin’s shoulder.  
  
“D-Did you just-?” Kevin stammered but Dean was already out the door and into the hallway.  
  
“Keep up the good work,” Dean called with a wave.  
  
“Will do!” he shouted back.  
  
Brother. Dean had called him his brother. A slow warm feeling crawled up his toes, settling in his chest. This, Kevin supposed with a smile, was contentment.


	4. Let's Storm a Castle

“No,” Dean said shortly. His arms were crossed over his chest defensively and his face was set in that way that made Sam sigh in frustration. He was in for a long battle.  
  
“Dean, we did promise her,” Sam pointed out.  
  
“Who’s gonna look after the kids?” Dean frowned. “We can’t leave them here by themselves.”  
  
“Castiel will be here,” Sam suggested without a thought. They both paused before a mental image of the full scale rebellion against Castiel mounted by the kids during bath time appeared and then shuddered.  
  
“No,” Dean said resolutely. “We are not leaving Cas with them.”  
  
“Then they’re going to have to come with us,” Sam explained patiently.  
  
“No, absolutely not,” Dean said firmly. “We are not bringing the kids with us. It’s an RPG game. We’re gonna be LARPing with Charlie and we can’t keep an eye on them at the same time.”  
  
“Then we’ll bring Cas with us,” Sam offered. “Charlie’s been asking about him and he can be an extra set of eyes on the children.” And then he smirked at Dean. “Besides, it’s time she found out about your better half.”  
  
Dean glared at him but didn’t offer a retort. The look in his eyes wavered a little and Sam grinned internally. He was going to win.  
  
“You’re strapping the kids into the car,” Dean finally said, turning around so that Sam couldn’t see his face. “Gabe and Luci can really kick when they don’t want to be put into their carseats. I’ll go find Cas.”  
  
Sam smiled victoriously and went to gather the kids.  
  
\--  
  
When they got to the RPG grounds, the tents had already been pitched and Charlie was training (whupping the asses of) the new squires who were trailing after her like lovesick puppies.  
  
“Charlie!” Dean greeted with a smirk. “Kicking ass I see.”  
  
“What up, bitches?” she hugged each of them in turn. “You’re just in time. Skirmish starts in a few hours.”  
  
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Sam assured her.  
  
“And who’s this?” she asked, staring at the man behind them.  
  
“My name is Castiel,” the ex-angel introduced himself. Charlie’s eyes widened in recognition before she glanced at Dean who pointedly avoided her gaze and busied himself with tying his boots.  
  
“I’m Charlie,” she smiled knowingly. “I’ve heard a lot about you and let me just say, you are kickass awesome. And much dreamier in real life. The books do not do you justice.”  
  
Castiel blinked, thrown by her compliment. “Thank you?”  
  
“Just go with it,” Sam muttered to him.  
  
“She has a crown!” Raphael exclaimed from her place behind Castiel.  
  
“Damn right she does, baby girl,” Dean picked her up so she could touch the crown on Charlie’s head. Charlie obligingly took it off and set it atop of Raphael’s head. It was much too big and slipped past her ears. Raphael tipped it up and stared at it with wonder.  
  
“Don’t swear in front of the children,” Castiel chided, smacking Dean on the back of the head.  
  
“She swore too!” Dean yelped, jerking his head accusingly at Charlie.  
  
“She’s not taking care of four impressionable kids,” Castiel pointed out. And it was then that three other children made their presence known. They were crowded around Castiel’s legs, hiding behind them. Castiel ushered them forward with a gentle hand. They stumbled and tripped over each other but smiled shyly at the red-haired woman.  
  
“Guys, this is Queen Charlie,” Dean introduced. “She’s Daddy and Uncle Sam’s very important sister.”  
  
Charlie blushed at the introduction but smiled brightly nonetheless.  
  
“I didn’t peg you guys as the fatherly type,” Charlie commented, eying them with slight apprehension.  
  
“Yeah, they just kinda showed up on our doorstep along with our kid brother and a prophet of God,” Sam explained awkwardly.  
  
“Guys, I don’t do kids,” Charlie grimaced, staring down at the four children who were staring back with expressions of awe.  
  
“They won’t be any trouble,” Dean promised and then smirked. “You could say they’re practically angels.”  
  
Sam rolled his eyes while Castiel smacked Dean in the back of the head again. The queen stared at them in confusion before shaking her head.  
  
“Couldn’t you find a babysitter?” Charlie asked. “Kids and LARPing are like a disaster waiting to happen.”  
  
“No one was available and the last time we left the kids with Cas, there was a full-scale takeover of the Batcave,” said Dean.  
  
“They did not take over,” Castiel scowled, looking affronted at the insult of his childrearing skills.  
  
“They had you tied in the dungeon and were raiding the pantry for candy when we came back,” Sam deadpanned. Then his eyebrows furrowed in thought. “How did they even get into the dungeon? It was one of the first things Dean childproofed.”  
  
“You guys have a dungeon?” Charlie questioned, looking more intrigued than weirded out. She shot them an accusing look. “Why didn’t you show me when I visited?”  
  
“See, funny story about that,” Dean started with a sheepish chuckle but Sam interrupted him.  
  
“Guys?” Sam asked suddenly. “Where are the kids?” There was a moment of pause before they panicked and scrambled around to search.  
  
“I have located them!” Castiel shouted from inside the strategy room. Charlie, Sam and Dean raced inside and found the children all huddled around the map of the battlefield and seemed in the midst of a heated discussion.  
  
“The horses go here!” Michael protested, his face set in a stubborn pout. His arms were crossed in front of his chest and he glared imperiously at Lucifer. “That way they can be protected by the arrow people.”  
  
Dean blinked. This was new; Michael was usually painfully shy and looked to Adam for every decision like he was afraid he would make the wrong one. He tended to go with whatever his brothers and sister wanted and they had a hard time coaxing him into expressing his own opinions. But then again, Dean thought, it made sense. Michael had been general of the Heavenly Host and it would only add up that his talents shone in battlefield stratagem.  
  
“Nuh uh!” Lucifer countered with a pout of his own. He moved the little army men into another position. “This way is better!”  
  
“Wait, hold on!” Charlie elbowed her way in between the two squabbling toddlers. She analyzed the board and her eyes widened. Her eyes turned sharply to Lucifer. “What’s your name, kid?”  
  
“’M Gabriel!” the boy shouted, tired of being ignored. “And that’s Raphael, Michael, and Lucifer!” He pointed to each of his siblings in turn and they smiled and nodded to her in acknowledgement.  
  
Charlie wheeled on Dean and Sam. “You brought the devil to LARP with us?” she asked incredulously.  
  
“Well, he’s not the devil per se,” Sam started uneasily.  
  
“Only when he’s fighting over Sam with Gabe!” Dean piped up.  
  
“Not helping,” Sam shot a glare at Dean who beamed cheekily in reply. He turned back to Charlie. “They’re depowered and perfectly harmless kids. Honest!”  
  
“Yeah, honest!” the children all parroted with baleful eyes and pouty mouths. Charlie folded under their stares.  
  
“Fine, whatever,” Charlie sighed, too used to the weirdness that followed the Winchesters wherever they went. “They can march with us on today’s battle. But only because they’re so cute.”  
  
“Awesome!” Dean grinned and then turned to them. “Here that kids?”  
  
“We get to defend the castle!” Lucifer cheered, his hands thrown up the air. The rest of his brothers and sister seemed equally excited and even Michael had a gleam in his eyes.  
  
“Wait,” Charlie held up a hand and then smirked. “If they’re going out, then they’re going to go out in style,”  
  
They could not find kid sized armor but with a little help from the seamstress in the camp, they managed to turn a few tunics into jerseys with Charlie’s standard for the kids to wear over their shirts. The seamstress took one look at Castiel, one long salacious look that had Dean bristling and winding an arm around Castiel’s waist, and pulled out a suit of armor. Granted, it was a prop suit but when she fitted the pieces over his body and stepped away, Dean could not help but think “Holy heavenly warrior”.  
  
“Wow,” Sam whistled. Then turned to Charlie and jerked a thumb at Castiel. “Why didn’t we get something that nice?”  
  
“We don’t have anything like this in your size,” the seamstress retorted smoothly, her hands lingering on the breastplate a little too long for Dean’s liking. He took Castiel’s shoulder and spun him around, examining the armor.  
  
“Can you move in that thing?” Dean asked jovially, ignoring Sam and Charlie’s looks and the seamstress’s annoyed expression.  
  
Castiel strode around a few steps and then jabbed a few times experimentally.  
  
“This is satisfactory,” he proclaimed.  
  
“Great!” Charlie clapped her hands together. “Then let’s get you guys some gear.”  
  
They headed off to the prop tent and Charlie allowed the children to choose a weapon of their choice as long as it was under a foot long. Lucifer looked put out as he had been eyeing a battle axe which was twice his height.  
  
“These are suitable,” Michael nodded, strapping a prop dagger into his jeans with a movement so smooth that it freaked out Charlie a little. The other kids displayed the same aptitude with the prop weapons that the weapon master stared suspiciously at Dean who shrugged his shoulders and smiled innocently in a “Kids these days. What are you gonna do?” way.  
  
“We ready then?” Dean asked, strapping his own long sword into his belt.  
  
“Remember, stay within the main field,” Castiel reminded them gently. “And if you get hurt just call out for Dean, Sam, Charlie, or me. One of us will always be in sight which means no smiting business.” And here he stared meaningfully at Lucifer who looked up at the sky innocently, his arms crossed behind his back in a gesture of perfect obedience.  
  
“Now who’s ready to fight the legion of darkness?” Charlie cheered, throwing her arms up to get the children hyped.  
  
“At dawn, we ride!” Gabriel shouted exuberantly, raising his mini sword.  
  
Dean and Castiel stared at him then turned to Sam who rubbed the back of his head embarrassedly.  
  
“I taught him that,” Sam answered. Charlie laughed as Castiel rubbed his forehead and Dean shot him a thumbs up.  
  
\--  
  
After the pre-game pep talk (“Speech!” Dean insisted while Sam rolled his eyes), they charged into battle. It wasn’t very long until the enemy saw the children.  
  
“Hey, who let a kid in here?” the orc shouted, picking up Lucifer by the scruff of his shirt.  
  
“I will smite you for your insolence!” Lucifer shrieked, struggling valiantly against his captor. “Unhand me this instant, you heathen!”  
  
“Release my brother!” Raphael shouted, charging in with her plastic dagger. It bounced rather ineffectively off the orc’s calf. She tossed it without a second thought, drew her leg back, and slammed it into the orc’s shin. The man yelped in pain and dropped Lucifer who darted back.  
  
“By our Father’s name, I shall avenge you!” Michael vowed in an uncharacteristic show of initiative. He pulled out his sword and raised it above his head. “Charge, my brethren!”  
  
Four high pitched shrieks rang out on the battlefield as all hell broke loose.  
  
“Do you think we should stop them?” Charlie asked, unsure of how to react in a situation like this. She tossed a bean bag at an approaching orc.  
  
“Nah, once Michael and Raphael get going, then you know it’s serious,” Dean said. “It’s better to let the kids get it out of their system and tire themselves out.”  
  
They were fast, much faster than any normal child should be and they were accurate in their strikes. Against people who had not battled the legions of hell since the beginning of time, the children ran through them like the wind.  
  
“Your boy over there isn’t doing too bad himself,” Charlie motioned over to Castiel who had chosen a short blade, reminiscent of his angel blade, and was skillfully making his way through a crowd, disarming orcs and dropping them like flies. His movements were graceful and smooth but they were delivered with brutal efficiency.  
  
“Well, he was a holy warrior of God,” Sam mused, fending off a warrior with prop fangs.  
  
Between the four of them and the kids, they made short work of the enemy army and returned victorious. The children were swaying on their feet as Sam and Dean picked them up and headed for the Queen’s tent after the skirmish.  
  
It was a glorious battle, one that would be told and retold by nerdy accountants and office workers for weeks to come. There would be whispers of the four archangels, as the children would soon be dubbed, who rained holy hell on the battlefield. Dean would smile brightly at his kids and Castiel could tell that he was proud of his children for being such badasses.  
  
“Thanks for a great time, Charlie,” Sam grinned. “Hope we didn’t cause too much trouble with the kids.”  
  
“They were no trouble at all,” Charlie smiled brightly and her eyes softened when they landed on the sleepy children. “In fact, if you want to bring them over for next year’s battle feel free. Always could use some more man power on the team and your little hellions pack a mean punch.”  
  
“It was very enjoyable to fight in a battle that did not end in death and bloodshed,” Castiel agreed, shedding off the armor. Once done, he went over to help Michael take off his jersey when the child looked like he was struggling with his tired limbs.  
  
“Castiel?” Charlie piped up with an odd look on her face. “Can I have a word with you? Alone?”  
  
Castiel looked at her then turned to Dean who nodded and took a sleepy Michael from his arms.  
  
“I’ll go strap him up in the car,” Dean whispered close to his ear. He flushed from their proximity and followed Charlie into her throne room. She turned to him with a gleam in her eyes.  
  
“He’s really very lucky,” Charlie said with a small smile on her lips. Castiel stared into her eyes and smiled back. She was very kind and he was reminded fondly of his sister Anna.  
  
“Dean?” Castiel asked then nodded. “Yes, he has the apple pie life he desires with his brothers and the prophet of God and the children.”  
  
“That’s not what I meant,” she shook her head and then patted his shoulder encouragingly. “It’ll come to you one day. In the meantime…”  
  
She pulled on his arm and turned it wrist side up. She rummaged for a pen and with a flourish, wrote a series of numbers on his arm.  
  
“You’re welcome to call me anytime you need someone to talk to,” said Charlie as she clicked the pen away. “You know, when Dean is being obtuse and Sam is acting like a girl about it.”  
  
“Thank you,” Castiel smiled sincerely. “I will be sure to call you.”  
  
“Oh and Cas?” Charlie asked. “Dean also has you. Maybe you don’t know how important that is but maybe when I see you next time, I hope you do realize what I mean.”  
  
Castiel tilted his head in confusion but didn’t say anything more as Dean came into the room and told them they were leaving. He said his farewells and pondered all through the car ride back on what Charlie had actually meant.  
  
Dean had wanted a relatively normal life with his siblings and Kevin but at the same time, he couldn’t go fully “civilian”. Dean was born and raised into the hunter way of life and leaving it would be like losing a limb. Castiel knew this well. With the Bunker, there were still hunts to go on and they never actually left the hunter life but there was also a safe, warded place to call home at the end of the day. Adam and Kevin could live their lives as they wanted and never have to worry about waking up in the middle of the night under attack. And with the addition of the children, something Dean had wished for in the secrecy of his own heart (and Castiel knew intimately from their profound bond), his life was nearly complete. All he needed was someone to share it all with.


	5. Death is the Final Frontier

When Adam woke up, it was to the rain and the scent of fresh earth. For a few minutes, he stared up at the gray sky and the falling drops in a daze as if from a grey-tinted filter. It was peaceful, quiet. Then he began to register cold and wet and something prodding at his side. He blinked; the last one was odd and he turned to his side, staring at a tiny boy with wide green eyes and a dark head of hair, slightly limp from the rain. His little hands kept touching his face hesitantly, reverently as if he was a fragile thing and his knees were muddied from the ground where he was kneeling over Adam's body.  
  
That gaze was so familiar and he frowned as he tried to remember where he had seen it before.  
  
"W-Who are you?" Adam asked, his voice hoarse. He winced, coughing slightly; his throat was dry and tasted like sand. The boy shook his head and patted his leaden arms in an effort to get him to sit up. And he would… once he could get his limbs to respond.  
  
With a huge amount of exertion he propped himself up on his elbows and groaned, fighting dizziness for a second before taking in his surroundings and regretting it instantly. Adam clutched his head as it throbbed insistently. His eyes squeezed shut and waited until the feeling passed before opening them again. Well, that had felt like a motherfucker.  
  
He looked around and found that he was in a cemetery and it was a rainy mid-afternoon. For a moment, he was confused before he remembered Hell and the Cage and Lucifer and Michael. And suddenly it clicked. He turned back to the boy who was staring at him worriedly and his eyes softened fondly.  
  
"You're Michael, aren't you?" Adam asked gently, touching the boy's round face with his fingertips. The boy nodded slowly, small hand coming up to hold his fingers closer to his face. "You protected me, didn't you? In the Cage, from Lucifer."  
  
And he remembered every second. Every moment in the Cage came back to him like a demented picture show. How Michael had cocooned his breakable soul within his Grace, cradled him with his wings and ensured that his soul felt as little pain as possible. How Michael had whispered songs in a melody that sounded like every language in the world to soothe the wounds inflicted on his being. He remembered exchanging stories of his life, insubstantial memories compared to Michael but nonetheless precious, mostly to drown out the agony and the wails as Lucifer bashed himself against the walls of his prison. And he remembered that Michael had not abandoned him for one second, not even now.  
  
"Always," Michael whispered, gazing at him as if he had hung the moon. "I promised you."  
  
"How did we get here?" Adam murmured and then a thought struck him. He touched his face with tentative fingertips, patted his body, and pulled at his clothes. Solid. Completely corporeal. He pinched his arm and winced when sharp pain radiated from it. "Ouch. Why am I alive? Shouldn't I be in Heaven or something?"  
  
He scrutinized Michael's new form with curious blue eyes. "And why are you so little?"  
  
Michael frowned at the questions and his face scrunched up in thought. Adam's lips twitched upward; he thought it was very cute. The little boy didn't answer his questions and looked as lost as he did.  
  
"Hey, it's okay little buddy," Adam soothed and then internally grinned. Who would've thought that he would be calling Michael, Archangel and Prince of Heaven, 'little buddy'? Life worked in such mysterious ways. "We'll figure it out later."  
  
Michael shrugged, rubbing his forehead like he had a headache. Adam cradled the boy's head in his hands, pushing back the boy's fringe to check for any bumps. Hmm, no bumps so Michael most likely did not have any head trauma.  
  
Michael nodded reluctantly and then pointed behind him. Confused, Adam turned and saw that there was another body lying in the dead grass. It was a little boy with ashy blonde hair and skin as pale as snow. His brow was furrowed in his sleep like he was having a nightmare and occasionally a small mumble would slip past his lips.  
  
"Is that-?" Adam breathed, touching the unconscious boy's head hesitantly.  
  
"Lucifer," Michael answered but far from the bitter tone Adam expected, Michael sounded light as if he were stating a fact. "He's my brother."  
  
"Is he now?" Adam whispered. The question was a rhetorical one meant to distract himself from the incoming panic attack he was going to have when it finally settled that he was alive and the Prince of Heaven and Satan were children.  
  
Michael clutched his head again as if fighting off an incoming migraine. Eyes the color of sea glass stared at him.  
  
"Are you okay?" Adam focused back on him in concern. The ex-archangel nodded slowly.  
  
"We have to find Gabriel and Raphael."  
  
"More of your brothers?"  
  
Michael nodded yet again.  
  
"What do we do with him?" Adam asked, pointing rather jerkily at Lucifer. He wasn't the Morningstar's biggest fan right now but a voice in his head that sounded very much like his mother scolded him for leaving a defenseless child alone in the middle of nowhere.  
  
"We bring him with us," Michael insisted. And that was that.  
  
"Alright then," Adam agreed. "I don't suppose you can zap us to your brothers?"  
  
Michael's face did the scrunching thing again and after a moment of pause, the small child shook his head. The boy's palms opened and closed helplessly and he stared up at Adam with such an upset face that Adam couldn't help but hug him close.  
  
But that left them with no plan of action. So Adam sat and thought hard.  
  
"Let's go find Dean and Sam," Adam proposed more to himself than to Michael. "They'll know what to do. Then we can go find your brothers. Sound good?"  
  
Michael nodded. Alright, Adam thought resolutely, now they just needed to find a working phone and hope that the Winchester brothers were still alive and kicking.  
  
Adam pulled the unconscious Lucifer onto his back and settled the boy's lolling head into the crook of his neck. He held out his other hand for Michael who took it with a hesitant smile. And then the three boys walked out of the graveyard and into the world.  
  
Once they made it onto the main road, Michael unerringly pointed left and Adam nodded, trusting in his sense of direction. It was a long stretch of road but the rain had lightened up which was a blessing. Occasionally, Adam's arms got tired from holding Lucifer (who still had not woken up) so they had to sit down on the side of the road and rest for a bit. By dusk, they had made it to a major highway. There was a billboard sign and under it stood a figure, obscured by the shadow.  
  
Adam stopped immediately. Getting his face chewed off by a ghoul in his mother's form had taught him to trust nothing. Michael stood beside him but the boy did not seem afraid.  
  
"Who's there?" Adam shouted at the figure which turned out to be a male about the same age as him. Dark circles ringed his tired eyes and he looked like he could do with a couple of decent meals and a week or two of sleep.  
  
"You must be Adam Milligan," the boy replied and they eyed the children. His eyebrows rose so high they almost disappeared into his hairline. "Okay, totally did not see that coming. I mean, I saw it in my dreams and all but wow. They're really tiny."  
  
He took a step forward which forced Adam to take a step back. His arm tightened around Lucifer defensively, pressing the limp body closer to his back.  
  
"Who are you and how do you know my name?" Adam asked warily, putting a hand on Michael's chest and nudging him behind his legs, shielding the child. Michael resisted and stood firmly by Adam's side. He admired the child's bravery but now was not the time or place.  
  
"Oh, sorry about that," he stared back at Adam and held out his hand to shake. "My name is Kevin Tran. I'm a prophet of God and a friend of your brothers."  
  
"Prophet of God?" Adam repeated. Then blinked, "Wait, you know Dean and Sam?"  
  
"Unfortunately," Kevin sighed tiredly but the word held no acid. "They put me in a bunker to translate a way to close the Gates of Hell. Dean gave me two bottles of pills and pretty much left me on my own."  
  
"Sounds like him," Adam agreed with a snort. "But how do I know you're not some freaky monster ready to kill us all?"  
  
"If it helps, I'm an AP student?" Kevin tried with a sheepish grin. Adam rolled his eyes.  
  
"He's not lying," Michael piped up. Both of them turned to him. The child had a very serious expression on his face and he stared at up Kevin with a look of esteem. "He's not lying. He is Kevin Tran, Prophet of God, Translator of the Word. It is an honor."  
  
"Right, Metatron told me about the whole archangel respect thing," Kevin commented then winced. "Until he went off the deep end."  
  
This drew a blank look from Adam. "What?"  
  
"Never mind," Kevin waved him off distractedly. "Come on, let's go find Gabriel and Raphael. I have a feeling I know where they are. Then after that, we can get back to your brothers in the Man of Letters Bunker and you can live with us."  
  
Michael took his hand and followed Kevin to his car.  
  
"Wait, who's Metatron? What the hell is a Man of Letters Bunker? And who said anything about living with you guys?"  
  
And then Kevin smiled a very secret, knowing smile. "You've missed out on a lot during your stay in Hell. But no worries; we can swap stories about the epic fun times with the Winchester crew while we're on the road. And also, you're kinda labeled as deceased so unless you have a better plan, we're your only option as far as the living situation is concerned."  
  
Adam opened his mouth to protest but closed it again when he couldn't think of a good rebuttal. He was going to find Dean and Sam anyway, and this scrawny boy was offering to take him directly to them. He was still leery on the whole prospect of living with his quote unquote brothers but they could sort out that situation once Adam had a meal and some sleep and could actually sit down and process everything that had happened.  
  
Michael watched him timidly with those big sea green eyes and he smiled back at the child, giving his hand a squeeze of reassurance. They would get through this; after all, they had gotten through much worse.


	6. Outtakes

"Dean, what's wrong with these?" Sam whined. "It'll keep Gabe from running off during grocery shopping."

"I tell you what's wrong with those!" Dean shouted, scandalized beyond all measure. "They're animal leashes! For children! Who does that shit to children?"

And here, he held Gabriel closer to his chest, as if cradling him away from the horrors of child leashes. Gabriel, on the other hand, stared with interest at the bright strip of cloth dangling from Sam's hands and made futile attempts to grab it with his little arms.

"A lot of people!" Sam countered. "It's better than Gabe getting lost one day! It's a safety measure, Dean!"

"They're my kids now and I am not strapping them up like dogs," Dean said with finality and that ended any argument on the subject of child leashes. He held the small child at arm's length and stared seriously into Gabriel's golden coppery eyes. "I would never do that you, kiddo. Ever. Now, Sammy is gonna take the evil leash away and we can all forget this after years of therapy."

And he squished Gabriel to his chest in a tight hug that left the child confused and Sam huffing in exasperation.

\--

"So you're our mommy," Michael repeated slowly, a very skeptical look on his face.

Castiel's eyebrow twitched as Dean and Sam stood behind him, shaking minutely with barely held in laughter. Adam and Kevin also held their laughter but they were at least discreet about it, hiding it behind a sleeve or a book respectively. The children all sat on the floor in the midst of playing catch with a red rubber ball when Dean had asked who the children would like to call "mom" and "dad" for fun.

"Yes," Castiel replied after a long, very long pause. "You may call me…" And here he winced but manfully swallowed it. "'Mommy'." Lucifer stared at him and then tilted his head in confusion.

"But you're our little brother," Lucifer said blatantly. "How can you be mommy if you're our baby brother?"

"Because Dean is Daddy," Gabriel explained with a roll of his eyes as if it were obvious. "And Dean and Castiel make smoochy faces at each other."

This statement caused Dean to choke and sputter out a response, and Castiel to turn bright red under all of the children's scrutiny. Sam couldn't take it anymore and fell off his chair in laughter. Adam bent double while Kevin buried his face behind his book to hide his chuckles.

"Oh!" Lucifer said, as if Gabriel's logic had made total sense. "I get it now."

"But I like Castiel to be mommy," Raphael volunteered, peeking at Castiel with a small smile on her face.

"But Dean is the one who cooks and cleans like the mommies on tv," Michael countered with a frown. "So shouldn't Dean be mommy?"

Dean squawked as the children honestly pondered this and the rest of the guys roared with laughter.

"He makes a very good point, Dean," Kevin said after his ribs stopped hurting. "You are like our den mother."

"Am not!" Dean retorted childishly.

"But Castiel is very pretty like a mommy," Raphael added in thoughtfully. "He was always the prettiest in the garrison."

Dean snickered and elbowed Castiel. "You hear that Cas? You're the prettiest angel. Heaven's most adorable angel."

Castiel glowered at Dean with his I-am-going-to-smite-you-where-you-stand face but it was tempered by his flushed cheeks.

"How about we take this to a vote?" Adam suggested diplomatically. "All in favor of Dean being mommy, raise your hand!"

Everyone in the room except Castiel and Dean raised their hands while Dean balked and tried to dissuade them. When none of them did, Dean huffed and ignored their grinning faces.

"At least Cas is on my side," Dean muttered and then hooked an arm around him. "You and me against the world right?"

Castiel jumped at the hand around his shoulder and turned to Dean who was smiling at him. A small tentative smile bloomed on his face and Dean swore he never saw anything as pretty. They continued staring deeply into each others' eyes causing all the other occupants in the room to fidget until Lucifer grew tired of the silence.

"Sam," Lucifer whined. "They're doing it again."

"I know, Luce," Sam consoled the poor child, patting him on the back. "Just let your mommy and daddy have their moment."

"Make them stop!" Lucifer stuck out his tongue. "It's gross. They're being gross, Kevin!"

"That they are, my little friend," Kevin nodded sagely.

"Can I throw this then?" Gabriel asked, staring at the bright red ball in his lap.

"No, no throwing balls at mommy and daddy," Adam chided. "But feel free to jump on Dean's kidneys."

Gabriel grinned mischievously and stared at his siblings who all sported knowing grins in reply.

"Yay, I love you, mommy!" Gabriel jumped onto Dean's lap and the rest of the children followed, crawling over each other to seat themselves on Castiel or Dean. Kevin and Adam joined in, squeezing themselves in between Castiel and Dean who yelped.

"What the-," Dean wheezed when Raphael accidentally kicked him in the stomach as she crawled over to Kevin.

"We should take a picture," Sam said all of a sudden, staring at Dean and Castiel. "Preserve the moment you know."

"Dude, could you be any more of a girl about this?" Dean rolled his eyes.

"I think a picture would be nice," Castiel said politely. Dean turned to Cas to protest but then shut his mouth when he saw the look on Castiel's face.

"Yeah, I guess."

"You only agreed to the picture because Cas did," Adam said slyly.

"Shut up, Adam. Kevin, budge over and make room for Sam."

Sam came out with a camera and set it on a bookshelf facing them.

"Okay, we'll set it on a timer and have it take multiple shots," Sam said. "But everyone has to stay very still, alright?"

The children nodded their assent and Sam rushed over as the camera began to blink. Picking Gabriel up, he seated himself in the empty space.

"Damn it, Gabe!" Dean shouted. "Stop moving!" Click.

"Dean, don't swear!" Castiel reprimanded sharply. Click.

"Dude, someone's hand is touching a place where someone's hand should not be touching!" Click.

"C-Can't breathe, b-being smooshed..." Click.

"Kevin, quit shoving your ass in my face!" Click.

"Up yours, Adam!" "Adam said a bad word!" Click.

"Everyone, sit down for Christ's sake!" Click.

"I knew Christ and I don't think he would enjoy his name taken in vain..." Click.

In the end, most of the pictures came out too blurred to be good but one picture of Dean and Sam being tackled by Lucifer and Gabriel while Adam and Kevin tried to pull them off and Castiel holding onto Raphael and Michael was copied and put into everyone's bedroom and the mantle. And one might have or might have not made its way into the windshield of the Impala.

\--

They never have to run credit card scams for money anymore. The Bunker contains a lot of old things that sell for a fortune in the right hands: WWII memorabilia, nonmagical antiques perfectly preserved by the Bunker, copies of books containing lore of the supernatural, etc. It's a relief from living in crappy hotels and eating diner food to stretch out what little money they have left, especially with all the mouths to feed. Housing and utilities are taken care of, though Sam never finds out exactly who's paying the bills since nothing is ever sent to them. He traces their sponsor to an organization called Torchwood stationed all the way in Cardiff and then leaves it at that.

But groceries need to be bought and kids require a lot of money to raise so with Kevin cleaning up the archives, they find a lot of stuff to sell off for their income. And sometimes they find some really cool things.

Dean scrambles in excitedly and holds out something for Sam's perusal. He's been helping out with cleaning the archives with Kevin because he is bored and Castiel took the children to the park.

"Hey, Sammy! Look what I found: mint-condition Captain America cards! The whole set! Someone must've been a collector."

"Great, those will probably sell for a lot. Put them in the box with the other stuff."

Dean holds them to his chest as if cradling a child and stares at Sam with betrayal. Sam stares back, confused.

"Hell no! Do you realize how rare these are? They're Captain America cards! Mint condition! Mint. Condition." Like repeating it with emphasis will obvious impress upon Sam of their worth and value.

Sam cocks an eyebrow while Dean holds the cards defensively and pouts in the way a child would pout. His wounded look has Sam laughing in his head.

"Okay… don't sell them."

Dean's face brightens and he grins like a puppy.

"Sweet!" Dean whoops and races off. "Wait till I show Cas!"

"Dean, I don't think Cas even knows who Captain America is!" Sam calls out but Dean is already gone. He rolls his eyes and chuckles. Dean is such a kid sometimes, rivaling the children in his immaturity. These moments happen more often now that they have everyone under one roof. Dean seems to brighten like the sun with someone to take care of. He always has so Sam is glad for the immaturity.

\--

It starts when Adam can't get his morning coffee from the coffee machine that he can never figure out. Usually Dean is the one who makes breakfasts in the morning because hunter training has set his circadian rhythm to wake up at the crack ass of dawn. Whatever. It just means that Adam gets his breakfast in the morning and heads off to school with a full stomach.

But Dean is off on hunter business investigating a series of disappearances in Maine which leaves Adam to puzzle out the infernal device. He flicks a switch and frowns when there is a lack of response. He checks the plug and then flips another switch.

Kevin tumbles in next, stifling a yawn as he opens the refrigerator to rummage about for the orange juice carton.

"Hey, have you noticed how some of the things in here are way before the Men of Letters' time?" Adam asks in greeting. He frowns as he presses a button and the machine emits an ominous beep. No, that wasn't it.

Kevin mumbles incoherently, still not fully awake. He tips the carton back and drinks the remainder in one go. The carton is set on the counter as he goes for the bread in the bread box and fumbles for the butter.

"I mean it!" Adam continues on, fiddling with a button to try to get the machine to give him his damn coffee. No, that one wasn't it either… "There's memory foam mattresses in every single room, a frequency jammer that stops satellites, and this kitchen is freakin' state of the art! How does that not bother any of you?"

"The Men of Letters were ahead of their time," Kevin shrugs, nibbling on his toast.

"But doesn't it freak you out that they seem to be ages ahead of their time?" Adam says in an eerie voice. Maybe this button then... "Almost like they've got eyes on us right now."

"You're just upset that you can't get your coffee, right?" Kevin smirks as Adam snarls in frustration and pounds the table.

"The stupid coffee machine won't give me my damn coffee!"

"Because that's not the coffee machine. That's the blender."

"Oh."


	7. Tender Loving Care

It started off as a sneeze, leaving both Castiel and the rest of the bunker stunned a little. Castiel had never sneezed before and it was such an abrupt sound that everyone, even the children all stared at him in surprise.

“Must have been the dust,” he brushed off and ignored it.

A few days later, the sneeze became sneezes and a persistent cough, then into aches and chills, and finally into aches and chills and a high fever. Naturally, Dean had freaked out and gone into protective mother hen mode while Sam rolled his eyes, and Kevin smiled and shook his head. It took Adam with his authoritative “I-am-a-doctor-in-training-so-my-medical-advice-is-sound” voice to stop Dean from cocooning Castiel in a mountain of blankets, cold remedies, and tomato rice soup.

“It’s just the flu,” Adam reassured as patiently as he could. Under Dean’s persistence he had checked Castiel’s temperature for the thousandth time and proscribed him bed rest and quiet. The latter was said with a pointed look at Dean who was still fussing over the amount of blankets Castiel needed. “He’s going to be just fine if you stop smothering him with those blankets! D-Dean, stop it! You’re suffocating him!”

The children all rushed to get into Dean and Castiel’s bedroom as soon as they heard that their Daddy couldn’t play with them today but Dean blocked them before they could barge open the door.

 “Careful, darlings,” Dean shooed them away gently while balancing a tray of soup in his hands. Dean was the ultimate multitasker and he deserved a fucking medal for being able to keep his hands steady while the children pushed and shoved against his legs to be the first one into their room. “Daddy is sick today and doesn’t want you guys to catch his flu. He doesn’t want you little guys to be stuck in bed all day like he is. Trust me, it’s not fun.”

“Is Daddy going to be alright?” Raphael asked worriedly. Dean’s eyes softened. Raphael was always so attuned to all of their wellbeing.

“He’s gonna be just fine after some rest, sweetheart,” Dean assured his baby girl. He set down the tray in his hands and pulled her into a hug. “Go into the living room and play with your brothers and your uncles, okay? Just be quiet as you can so your Daddy can sleep.”

“He’ll get better soon?” Lucifer questioned hopefully.

“Yeah, he’ll be right as rain after a bit of Dean’s TLC,” Kevin grinned, patting the boy’s head while Dean pretended to protest in the background. Placing a gentle hand on Lucifer’s back, Kevin gently pushed him along with his brothers and sister while deftly avoiding Dean’s swat along his head.

“What’s TLC?” Michael piped up, a perplexed look on his face as he stared at Adam who shot a glare at Kevin.

“Thanks, Kev,” Adam said sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest. “You’re going to be the one to explain that one to them.”

“Worth it,” Kevin laughed as they took the kids down the hall.

Dean picked up the tray and elbowed his way into their room. The tables were littered with opened plastic pill cases and various tissues that Dean swiped away into a bin before setting down his tray and addressing the lump under the pile of blankets.

“Hey baby,” Dean whispered, peeling back the blankets a little to reveal Castiel’s sweaty pale face. Castiel’s brow furrowed and with a groan, he tried weakly to pull the covers back up over his head. “Time to take some meds. Can you sit up for me?”

“No,” Castiel croaked irritably. His voice was hoarse, much more gravelly than his normal tone and Dean winced a little in sympathy. It must have been hell on his throat.

“Come on,” Dean wheedled, “I need you to eat something for me before you take those pills. Can you do that for me, angel? I’ve got some nice warm soup with your name on it.”

“Being sick is highly unpleasant,” Castiel intoned with the severity more ascribed to announcing the Apocalypse before reluctantly pushing the covers off.

“Amen to that,” Dean chuckled. “Here, let me help you up.”

He put an arm around Castiel’s shoulders and under his arms.  With a little effort, Castiel sat with his back against the headboard. Dean pulled up a chair from his desk and propped the tray on the bed. He stirred the soup a little and set the spoon in Castiel’s hand.

“Eat slowly,” Dean commanded softly. “Try to finish the bowl and then I have some cold pills and water for you to take.”

Castiel accepted the soup and ate sluggishly, more out of tiredness than adherence to Dean’s order. The warm soup warmed Castiel better than any balm and a soft, nasally sigh left his lips. Dean smiled gently, watching over Castiel while he ate. It was quiet except for the sound of heavy breathing and slurping. Once Castiel was done, Dean took the bowl and replaced it with a glass of water and a plastic thing of pills.

Castiel had noticed that all pill intake was closely monitored by Dean and every time he even reached for them, a small amount of fear entered Dean’s eyes. He chose not to comment on it but the look unnerved him sometimes.

“Hey, Castiel?” Dean asked out of the blue. “Do you regret it? Turning human? I mean, not that you had much of a choice but if you were… You know, given a choice, would you choose to be an angel again?”

Castiel blinked in a perplexed manner while searching the face of his hunter. There was a blank look on Dean’s face, one of those ‘poker’ faces he had tried to explain to Castiel once. He did not understand why Dean had chosen this moment to ask him this question but he understood the motivation behind it. His eyes softened; his hunter was always so transparent at times like these.

“Sometimes I wish that I still had my powers,” Castiel started. “I would never have to deal with this sickness and I could heal your pain. I could be of more assistance during hunts. It frustrates me immensely when I cannot reach you in time.”

“You help plenty,” Dean argued but his jaw snapped shut when Castiel held up his hand.

“If given the choice, I would choose to remain here on Earth with you and your family,” Castiel finally answered. “This life is difficult and painful at times, but at others it is the greatest joy in the entirety of my Father’s creation. I love our family, forged by fire and tested by trial. I love that I can share this happiness with you and your brothers and our children.” Dean tried not to blush at the mention of ‘our children’ but judging by the knowing smile on Castiel’s lips, he was failing miserably. “Besides, who else is going to watch your cholesterol and ensure that you don’t eat your body weight in burgers and die of a heart attack? I don’t have my powers anymore to help you clear out your arteries.”

“Hey!” Dean squawked, flushing bright red. “You’re one to talk. You once downed more than a hundred of those bad boys.”

“I was an angel under the influence of Famine!” Castiel shot back, flustered. “It doesn’t count!”

“Sure, Cas,” Dean rolled his eyes with a smirk, “Whatever you need to tell yourself.”

“Does not count,” Castiel retorted, arms crossed against his chest defensively.

The tense mood had dissipated and they were grinning like loons.

“Go back to sleep, Cas,” Dean said, “Once you get better, I’ll make you those burgers you like.”

Dean made to stand up and take the tray with him but a hand on his forearm stopped him.

“Can you stay until I fall asleep?” Castiel asked hesitantly.

“I can do you one better,” Dean grinned, getting up from his chair. “Scoot over.”

“Dean, there’s no need,” Castiel began to complain though a smile wormed its way onto his lips. “You’ll get sick-.”

“Winchester men are built like oxen,” Dean proclaimed proudly as he made himself comfortable in the space Castiel provided for him. “We don’t get sick so easily. Don’t worry about me and focus on getting better, you hear me?”

A hand curled around his, lacing their fingers together between them.

Castiel smiled and closed his eyes. “Yes, Dean.”

\--

Two days after that, Dean lay sniffling in their room, glaring daggers at Castiel who sat next to him, handing him a bowl of soup with a pointed look.

“You did this to me,” the hunter accused with a nasally voice. His nose whistled comically with every inhalation, causing Castiel’s lip to twitch upward.

“I warned you,” Castiel scolded.

“I’m gonna die,” Dean moaned dramatically, throwing a hand over his eyes. His head ached and throbbed with the motion and he groaned. Castiel pulled the towel off his forehead and re-soaked it in cold water before putting it back on again.

“You’re not going to die,” Adam said blandly, holding up the thermometer. “Suck it up and maybe next time don’t sleep in the same bed as the man with the flu.”

“Worth it,” Dean whispered to Castiel secretly with a mischievous yet soft smile on his lips. And as an answering smile lit up Castiel’s face and a hand grasped his, dry palms and strong, elegant fingers entangling with his own, Dean knew that Castiel was worth everything. Every single time.


End file.
